The introduction of ETCS Level 2 together GSM-R on the CMK by the end of 2023 will allow the maximum speed to be increased to 250km/h, which will cut the journey times from Warsaw to Krakow and Katowice to less than 2 hours.

“The CMK will be the first line in the country where trains will travel at speeds over 200km/h,” says Mr Andrzej Bittel, secretary of state at the Ministry of Infrastructure.

ETCS equipment will be designed to work with new train traffic control devices at Psary, Góra Włodowska and Knapówka. The line will also be equipped with four-position automatic block to ensure the required level of safety for trains traveling at speeds up to 250km/h.

A new local control centre at Idzikowice will supervise the movement of trains and the operation of equipment on the route from Korytów to Zawiercie.